


One Last Journey

by thewightknight



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: Canonical Character Death, Dreaming, F/M, In the Fade, saying farewell
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-20
Updated: 2019-10-20
Packaged: 2020-12-24 21:41:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 965
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21106451
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thewightknight/pseuds/thewightknight
Summary: Scout accompanies her human on a very important journey.





	One Last Journey

**Author's Note:**

> A Halloween prompt:   
_[SOMEONE] is lost in the woods, but at least his faithful dog is with him. As they look for the way out, the dog defends their master against terrifying monsters and animals. Finally, the [PERSON] arrives safely on the other side, beautiful green field, no more fog or night. Then the dog goes home . . . where their owner, the [PERSON], has died. The good doggy guarded them all the way to their final rest._

Alistair looked up from the paperwork that covered his desk as Scout whimpered in her sleep, where she lay on a blanket at the foot of his bed. “Do you think he misses her?” Alistair asked Eamon.

“Of course she does, lad.” Kingship hadn’t changed how Eamon addressed him. It was one of the few things that hadn’t changed, and Alistair was grateful for it. “We all do.”

The mabari’s legs twitched, and she whined again.

“What’s she dreaming about, do you think? Chasing more darkspawn?”

Eamon shook his head. “Maker only knows.”

“Scout! Scout? Where are you, girl?”

Scout barked, a low, chuffing sound that she knew carried a great distance. Elissa could hone in on the noise and find her. It was strange, that Scout couldn’t remember how they’d become separated, but she’d find Elissa soon enough.

She thought they were back home, on the Cousland estate where she’d been whelped, but it didn’t seem quite right. Nothing smelled the way she remembered. Nothing smelled much at all, in fact. She wouldn’t let it bother her, though. She and Elissa could still find each other by sound. She barked again, and heard Elissa call back in return.

There wasn’t any game in the forest. She’d have thought darkspawn might have chased it all away, but there wasn’t any of the bitter tainted trace of them anywhere to be found either. There was no trace of anything at all – no scents on the wind, no sound of rustling trees, no birdsong in the air. Unsettled, she padded through the woods, her paws making no sound on the fallen leaves.

“Scout!” Elissa called again and she honed in on the sound of her mistress’ voice. It seemed Elissa was closer now but Scout still couldn’t smell her.

“Scout!”

She was so close now. Scout could hear her in this strange silence, footsteps drawing near. At last, she burst through the trees in front of him. Except – it wasn’t her. Or, at least, it wasn’t her as he’d last seen her, fierce and tall and clad in her leather and steel. No, this was the Elissa she’d first met as a pup, all angles and elbows and with two bouncing golden braids.

It was now that Scout finally realized she was dreaming. She should have recognized this, from the mage tower. Except it wasn’t quite the same as before.

Elissa didn’t seem to realize where they were, or what was different. She fell to her knees and wrapped her arms around Scout’s neck and she told him what a good dog she was and Scout’s whole body vibrated as she wagged her little stump of a tail.

This was a good dream, she decided.

“Oh, Scout! I’m so glad I found you. I’m lost. Can you help me find my way home?”

It was easy enough. Scout could see her footsteps in the leaves. Elissa walked beside her, one hand resting on her back, as she chattered away. She spoke of lessons with her armsmaster, a man who’d grown and retired many years ago. She spoke of her brother and how he refused to play with her anymore, saying he was too grown up for such things.

Elissa didn’t notice the specter of Arl Howe that appeared before them. Scout growled and it faded away. She did see the darkspawn emissary, but before she had a chance to be scared Scout charged it, and it too melted away.

After this, there were familiar faces – Alistair, Zevran, Wynne, Shale, Sten. No sign of Morrigan, Scout noted. Elissa smiled at each of them and each of them nodded, stepping aside as they passed. 

At last the trees parted and the castle stood before them. And there, at the gate, stood Bryce and Eleanor, both as young and fresh as the girl that walked beside him. They waved at her and she waved back, then dropped to the ground again beside Elissa.

“Thank you for helping me find my way, Scout. You’re the best dog.”

She watched Elissa walk away from her, towards her parents, who, Scout now noted, glowed with a faint light. As Elissa grew closer, she, too began to glow. When the three of them joined hands they flared so bright it hurt Scout’s eyes and she had to look away. When her vision cleared, they were gone.

Alistair jumped when a cold nose insinuated itself under his arm.

“Oh, hey there! You’re awake! Did you have a good dream?”

Scout put his head in Alistair’s lap. Had it been a good dream? She couldn’t decide.

Alistair went back to his paperwork, but he alternated between scratched and petting Scout’s head while he worked. “I really miss her, you know,” he murmured, and Scout whined in agreement. “She made me king – least she could have done was to stick around and help me with all this.” Alistair’s voice sounded strange. When Scout looked up, she could see his eyes shining in the candlelight. A tear broke free, trickling down his cheek, and Scout cleaned it up for him.

“Hey, now,” Alistair laughed, trying to find off Scout’s tongue, but Scout had to make sure she got it all. Papers ended up on the floor and she managed to fit her upper half in Alastair’s lap, and it was good. Not as good as if Elissa were still with them, but good all the same.

“I need to get to those reports, dog.”

Scout didn’t move.

“Oh, well, they can wait, I guess. They aren’t going anywhere. And there’s always more of them.”

Sighing, Alistair pulled another sheaf of parchments closer. As he read, he continued to pet Scout, and eventually Scout felt herself drifting off again. This time, there were nugs to chase in her dreams.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! If you want to say hi, [check out my profile](https://archiveofourown.org/users/thewightknight/profile) for where I’m currently hanging out on this here internet thing. If you liked this, please share! Kudos are love and comments are always appreciated.


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